President Engelkemeyer announces plan for 2021 retirement

President Engelkemeyer announces plan for 2021 retirement; Nichols commences national search for its eighth president

In September, Nichols President Susan West Engelkemeyer, PhD, announced her plans to retire in June 2021, capping a decade-long era of leadership marked by persistent growth at the college.

During her tenure, enrollment has been increased by 20 percent, retention by 30 percent, and the graduation rate by 50 percent. The college completed a historic $45 million comprehensive campaign, inspiring an unprecedented level of giving, and built a new academic building and student center. Endowment has been nearly quadrupled, with the number of endowed scholarships rising from 21 to 81. “These years have been the highlight of my professional career in so many ways, and I am truly grateful to the Nichols community for your partnership, your support, and your commitment to our mission, and to our incredible students who are at the center of all we do,” Dr. Engelkemeyer said in a memo to the campus community. Engelkemeyer said her decision was based on a desire to start the next chapter of her life, which includes spending time with her family, and expressed confidence in the future of the college. “While the global pandemic has slowed our pace as we work to actualize our vision to become ‘a college of choice for business and leadership education,’ I am confident that we will quickly regain our footing and emerge stronger than

ever,” she added. “Susan is a visionary and strategic leader who has steadily advanced Nichols College through one of the toughest periods in higher education,” said John H. Davis ’72, chair of the college’s Board of Trustees. “Her dedication to this institution is matched only by her genuine affection for the students it serves, and Nichols will long benefit from the foundation she has set for our continued success.”

The college is planning to celebrate the achievements of President Engelkemeyer throughout the year.

“These years have been the highlight of my professional career in so many ways, and I am truly grateful to the Nichols community for your partnership, your support, and your commitment to our mission, and to our incredible students who are at the center of all we do.”